Firing mechanisms of the type detailed above are well known within the firearms sector, in both hunting and military guns.
The fact these mechanisms include a safety device which can be engaged and disengaged manually is also well known.
The known manual safety devices usually used in firearms consist of catch mechanisms which, once engaged, make it impossible to move those components which are designed to disengage the hammer retention means and therefore, even if pressure is exerted on the trigger, prevent the sequence of movements that result in a shot being fired from taking place, including, in particular, the movement of the hammer which, as is known, is permanently subjected to the action of a spring.
Despite immobilizing the components mentioned above, or even the trigger, by means of the conventional safety devices found in firearms, there is still the problem--and one which can sometimes have extremely serious consequences--of the gun firing accidentally as a result of the hammer retention means being disengaged inadvertently.
As mentioned earlier, the hammer is permanently subjected to the action of a spring and is held in opposition to the latter by means which are usually in the form of a hook.
If these means should, for whatever reason--for example as a result of a violent knock to the weapon or wear of the hooking surfaces--cease to function properly, the hammer is released and the force of the spring is fully discharged onto said hammer, causing the gun to fire accidentally.
The object of the present invention is to equip the firing mechanism of a firearm of the type specified above with a permanent safety device which is independent of the conventional safety catch and which, even if the hammer retention means are released or disengaged accidentally, will not allow the hammer, even though it is subjected to the force of the spring, to receive a sufficient force to cause the gun to fire.